wintertime reel service for everyone

wintertime reel service for everyone.  yes, this applies to you.  all of you.  no exceptions, no excuses!  ;D

even if you can't field strip a big lever drag, you can work a screwdriver.  there is still something that you have to do.  i can't think of a single reel where the removal of one screw disables the reel.  so what i'd recommend is removing every visible screw, one at a time.  back out the screw, grease it or add corrosion x, put it back, tighten it down a little, and then move on the to next.  yamaha marine grease is preferred, but anything is better than nothing,  and you should never have more than one screw out at a time.  if you can't remove it by hand because it's too corroded, then add a little but of a light oil around the top of the head if the screw and consider sending it in at some point. 

you should be able to do this, one screw at a time, for any reel.  the one exception is the screws that hold on the reel seats (bases) for the small okuma reels.  they use small fine thread metric machine screws held in with loctite.  it's really easy to snap these off.  for the small okuma reels, just add corrosion x or grease around the head of the screw and call it done. 

for the rest of the reel, manually add reel x with a dropper bottle to the corners and creases where corrosion happens, then wipe it down.  alternatively, tape the line and spray the outside of the reel with aerosol corrosion and then wipe it down to remove the excess.  reel x from a dropper bottle is preferred, but any light oil is better than nothing.  i cheat.  i have both the aerosol corrosion x and the reel x in a dropper bottle.  when the reel x is gone, i spray corrosion x in the dropper bottle and i save a bunch of money!

you have plenty of time, but spring will be here before you know it.  ping me if there are any questions!  alan

Thanks Alan. Done on all my salt reels. Freshies got light machine oil.... Great reminder.

Thanks for the reminder and tips Alan.

Thanks for the reminder and tips Alan.

+1

Mr T, thanks for the reminder.
I'm gonna send you a couple that need heavier work than just regular service, too (whether you like it or not!).
Was going to do that a couple years ago and now they really need help.

Thanks Alan for the refresher. Haven't did any heavy duty fishing so the reels i did maintenance with you a couple of years ago should still be good!

oops!  so you know i never work on spinning reels, right?  well, this business about one screw not making the reel go "boing!"  that does not apply to the screw on the bail return assembly.  so let's limit this to conventional reels, not spinners!!!!!!

alan how much for this service?  i have a (freshwater) baitcaster and spinner that haven.t been serviced....ever.  they seem a little gunky...

Thanks for the info

alan how much for this service?  i have a (freshwater) baitcaster and spinner that haven.t been serviced....ever.  they seem a little gunky...

No spinner repairs.

I have a caster in a bag if you can put it together?  Got sand in it after a yard sale. One screw too many